Harbinger of Destiny: Herald of Fate

Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not claim rights on anything you have seen before, merely the characters and plotlines that you have not.

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself."

Oscar Wilde

"Avex!" Devon Dahlios let out a stream of deep breaths as he finally found the Head of the Bodyguard. He had been running, that much was obvious from his shortness of breath and the sweat pouring down his face. He was also in a state of extreme agitation, his fingers shaking as he roughly pushed stray hair out of his ashen face.

"What is it Devon?" Harry demanded as he stood from the table in the kitchen were he and Amick had been enjoying a so-far peaceful dinner. "Is the Master in danger?'

"It's Peli, Harry," Devon admitted quickly in a stream of Elvish, his voice trembling. "He's finally snapped. He attacked the Master."

"Evland!" Harry cursed, and grabbed onto Devon's shoulders. "He is still in the Great Hall then, yes?" he questioned the Elf, and Devon nodded.

"Kabul commanded me to find you, he is attempting to restrain him without damaging him too much, but he isn't having much luck. He's using his gift Avex, and you're the only one who can control him without killing him."

Harry swore again and rushed out of the kitchen, accidentally trampling the unfortunate houself who stepped in front of him. Peliamos Renaldi was what the elves liked to call a tangibility monkey, able to shift between transparency, solidity, and invisibility with ease. In doing so, he could inhabit the bodies of those around him and use their energy source for a time. It made him dangerous, and risky to keep as a slave.

The situation he found in the Great Hall was a dire one. The Headmaster and many of the teachers were standing in a circle along with Kabul, Freelasco, and the Master in the center of the Hall. The older students had formed a protective shield around their house tables and were watching with bated breath at the scene before them.

Peli had taken control of Draco Malfoy's body, Harry could see, and was wielding the Seventh Year's wand in ever shifting arcs, emitting endless streaks of doubtlessly dangerous magic. Harry, closely followed by Amick and Devon quickly made their way to stand in the center circle, spreading out amidst the other defenders.

"Peli, stop, it is not worth it," Harry cried in solemn Elvish, "Release the human and submit to your Master."

"Avex," Peliamos acknowledged respectfully, Harry was one of the few people the recalcitrant slave held a modicum of deference for, "you, of all slaves, should know why I am doing this."

It was odd to hear Malfoy speak the Elvish tongue in anything but a derogatory fashion towards himself, but now was not the time to be startled by the fact.

"I understand you Peliamos," Harry admitted, "but I do not support you. You know that this is the fate you have been handed, and you must accept it, at least for now."

"No," the Elf shouted, in Draco's aristocratic lilt. "I'd rather die than live my life like this."

"That can be arranged," the overseer, Kabul, announced ominously, his face red from rage at the slaves rebellious actions, and his inability to act due to the Elf's current inhabitance of Malfoy's body.

Harry ignored the Elvish overseer, and addressed Peli directly. "Turn this around Peli. Release the boy." Harry's hands slid behind his back as he quickly accessed his elemental abilities. White flame appeared in his hand, and abruptly he shot it towards the figure in the center of the circle, and it quickly surrounded the Slytherin.

The white flame was not lethal, but it emitted enough heat to make the victim think he was getting burned. It would take only a few seconds for the flame to emit an unbearable amount of heat. Harry himself could not feel the effect, but the rest of he circle took a defensive step backwards, most of their faces suddenly flushed and sweating. No one tried to stop him however, they understood his objective.

Renaldi suddenly dropped the human form, and Harry immediately distinguished the flame. Draco Malfoy coughed harshly, and fainted to the floor. Severus Snape quickly grabbed the boy and took him away from danger, dropping him near the shielded Slytherin table.

Peliamos sneered in anger at his superior slave, all respect he had previously bestowed upon the teen instantly dissipated. Kabul stepped forward, keen to force the slave into submission, but still wary of the slaves ability to possess bodies.

"Human!" Peliamos suddenly cried, pointing at Harry, and startling the entire Hall with his rough English. "He is no Elf. Human!"

Harry growled and tackled the tall Elf. He was hot with rage and fully aware of the wisps of blue and white flame he was emitting from his body. His hands wrapped around the shocked slaves throat and he pulled out the necklace he kept for just such occasions. Forcefully, he shifted his hands from the man's neck to his hair, pulling the head upward and adjusting the tangibility necklace around his neck, thereby ensuring his incapacity to possess anyone else.

Peliamos groaned in dismay, and Kabul unappreciatively pushed Harry away, kicked the rebellious slave over on his stomach and brutally assaulted him with his whip, right there in the Great Hall. Harry rolled up and stood next to Amick, who rested a calming hand on Harry's shoulder.

When Kabul was done ravaging the Elf's backside, he produced the golden chain, hooked it to the metallic cuffs, and dragged the bloody slave away.

Many of the students were staring at Harry now, wondering if what the other had said was true and he was a human like they were. They were slowly dismissed from the room by the weary looking McGonagall, many of them still staring oddly at him.

High Lord Amin Ranus was addressing his Guardian in a low voice, and the Headmaster and Snape were engaged in a furtive conversation. Amick, Devon, and Harry knew their place and remained silent, unwilling to speak in the presence of their superiors, and not allowed the freedom to leave whilst they were not dismissed.

Finally, Freelasco made his way over to the slaves. Amin rarely spoke directly to his servants and so, they were accustomed to taking direction from Freelasco instead. The wiry Guardian dismissed Amick and Devon without ado, then locked his gaze onto Harry. "You did well tonight, slave. Your Master has deigned that you be given a reward. Speak your term."

Harry looked speculative for a moment. "Mobility of the grounds when off shift, m'Lord."

Amin was close enough to hear the terms and nodded curtly to Freelasco to acknowledge his consent. "So it shall be, though you will remain within the five mile boundary due to your master by the Debts of Obedience."

"Yes, m'Lord," Harry said.

Freelasco seemed about to dismiss Harry when suddenly the Headmaster and Snape stood next to them.

"Is it true that he is human?" Dumbledore asked politely, innocuous enough.

"It is not your concern," Freelasco said hastily. Amin came to stand next to his Guardian regarding Dumbledore with suspicious eyes. "What is it to you?"

"Mere curiosity, dear boy," Dumbledore said.

"He is human," Amin said finally, though he did not look pleased to admit it.

"And his age?"

"Is not your concern."

"Yes, of course," the headmaster said quietly, though he gazed at Harry in a new light. "Of course."

"He's HUMAN, Ron," Hermione argued heatedly, her face flushed in both excitement and ardor. "Didn't your hear him?"

"It doesn't mean anything Hermione!" Ron shot back. "He is an Elvish slave, there is nothing we can do about that."

"There is, actually," Neville said suddenly, startling them both with his presence. "If he is human that means that he can be sold to humans. Elvish slaves cannot, but if he is human that means that he can be sold to humans. It is the nature of their laws."

"You want us to buy him?" Hermione asked in shock.

"It is the only way to get him out of the Elves hands."

"Then we can free him?"

Neville shook his head sadly. "It doesn't work that way Hermione. If we buy him as a slave, he must remain a slave. It is the Elvin stipulations."

Ron looked confused. "But the Wizarding World doesn't permit slavery. If he was purchased from the Elves by humans he would automatically gain freedom wouldn't he?"

"The Ministry is trying to make friendly with the Elves right now. I doubt that they would enforce restrictions on Elvin set stipulations for slavery. He would remain a slave."

"Let's do it," Hermione said, her eyes fervent.

Ron looked as though she had just said the most insipid thing on the planet. "Are you mad Hermione? You want a slave?"

"I owe him Ron. He probably saved my life and he faced terrible consequences for doing it. If I can do anything to help him, I owe it to him to do it."

"Slaves are expensive," Neville cautioned quietly. "Especially one as talented and revered as he seems to be. I doubt you can afford him Hermione."

"I certainly can't," Ron said, "and my family couldn't handle the problems we would face with owning a slave."

Hermione turned hopeful eyes on Neville, "What about you Neville?"

Neville looked like a deer caught in a headlight. "I d-d-don't know, 'Mione. I doubt my Gram would approve."

"You have money in your own right though, don't you? From your parents?"

Neville slowly nodded his head.

A week later, Neville finally gained the courage to go through with his plan. Neither Ron or Hermione were aware of his intentions, and he didn't plan to let them know unless he procured what he wanted.

The initial step was to catch the High Lord without his guardian or overseer with him. His chance came on a Sunday afternoon, as Amin took a stroll along the lake, only one bodyguard, not the human one, following him.

"Illian cro lento," he startled the Elf enough to gain his attention. (Greetings High one)

"You have a terrible accent," Amin said, finally, getting over his surprise. "But you understand the basics I can see. You even had the proper greeting."

Neville's face flushed, and he stammered a thank you. "Taq."

"Not a problem. What is it that you want?" the High Lord settled down on a rock, and Neville took leave to sit on another one nearby. They were both silent for a moment.

"I wish to purchase one of your slaves," Neville finally got up the courage to say.

Amin was silent. Then, finally, "I have none for sale presently. And none that can be sold to a human."

"You do have a human slave though," Neville insisted.

"I do."

"I will pay handsomely for him," Neville said. Amin looked amused.

"Why do you seek a servant, human? I know you are a pureblood wizard and that often your type have high pretensions, but you did not seem the type to me to desire a slave."

"I have my reasons," Neville said defensively, though his voice trembled.

"You realize of course, that if you should purchase him, he will remain a slave. You cannot free him, it is not in our allowance for you to do so. Slaves freed by those they were not originally enslaved by have a nasty habit of striking back."

"I am aware of this."

They were both silent then. Neville attempted to hid his nervousness by turning his attention away from the situation. It was nearly ten minutes before Amin spoke again.

"The one that you seek to own is highly trained and incredibly competent. It would be difficult for me to release him into your custody without the assurance that you would be able to maintain his control. You will need to prove that you are able to mete out the appropriate punishments suitable to his disobedience."

Neville swallowed tightly. Amin looked him over, assessing him, then nodded curtly. "I doubt you would be able to do so. I am sorry to disappoint you."

The Elf stood and began to walk away, Neville looked on as he saw his chance slip through his fingers. He stood abruptly and shouted, "Wait."

The High Lord stopped and Neville caught up to him. "I'll do it. I'll prove that I can keep him under control."

"You will wait until I have a replacement as the Head of my Bodyguard?" Amin asked after a moment.

"Yes," Neville affirmed.

Amin spun around to look him square in the face. "That slave has been incredibly useful to me over the years I've had him. He has proved himself an amazing warrior and protector. His price will be high, and his obedience will be hard to procure. He also has Debts of Obedience that must be transferred on to you. Are you sure you can handle this responsibility?"

"Yes."

'If I find that you are not able to provide proper punishment in case of his disobedience, I will be forced to put him on the market, according to Elvin law. That will open him up to anyone able to pay the price. I trust you understand what that means."

"Yes," Neville swallowed nervously. If he was not able to prove his worth as a Master, that would put the slave in even worse conditions than before as he could land in the hands of someone like the Notts or Malfoys.

"I should have a replacement within a weeks time. I have tired of his constant rebellion anyways."